If you’re a fan of The Witcher or the Henry Cavill-led Netflix series, then you know that it’s been a wild ride for the fantasy show’s first season. The show, based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, has been widely hailed by critics and viewers alike for its complex story, dark themes, and spectacular visuals. However, the finale of the show left viewers with a rather anticlimactic ending for the titular character, Geralt of Rivia (played by Cavill). While viewers may have expected to see a grandiose and satisfying conclusion, they instead were given a weird whimper for Geralt’s arc.
To recap, the finale saw Geralt and his beloved Yennefer, a powerful sorceress, reunited after a long period of separation. However, after a heated battle between the two, they both decided to take separate paths and leave each other for the greater good. As a result, Geralt can no longer stay at the court of Cintra and decides to take up a journey in search of meaning. In effect, he is left alone in pursuit of self-discovery in a journey that screams YOLO.
For the sake of characterization, this ending could have been great for Cavill’s Geralt. However, it feels like the show has not done enough to actually deliver the emotion that fans were hoping for. There are no grand gestures of love and romance for Geralt and Yennefer and, yet, their separation is supposed to be some sort of secret farewell. This lack of resolution has effectively killed any form of closure for the show’s fans and leaves their relationship in a weird limbo.
The ending of The Witcher also left Cavill’s character in an odd place. Geralt’s journey in search for meaning is a great set-up that could make for an interesting season 2 and 3, but with no clear lead character, it may easily fall to the hard edges of TV fans if not handled properly. Teasers for the upcoming seasons are already steering away from Geralt’s storyline, and fans of Cavill’s portrayal will assume that he’s set to become a supporting character.
Ultimately, Geralt’s arc has been given a weird whimper, to say the least. While the missteps of The Witcher’s finale don’t make it an overall bad show, it’s clear that they’ve left viewers with a less than satisfactory conclusion to Cavill’s character. Hopefully, the upcoming seasons will be able to redeem this misstep and finally give Gawit of Rivia, and Cavill’s Geralt, the proper closure they deserve.
